[WebAPI] Syntax examples for all methods are missing target about content HOT 5 CLOSED

I have previously said similar things: #17981 but I don't know what people generally feel about changing the syntax conventions.

from content.

Hi, we never add the target for methods, because people often take them as global variables or that you must use an identifier to get them. You can check all other instance methods' syntax. Is this particularly confusing for event listeners?

from content.

Oh, I never noticed that! Glad it's consistent at least :D

I can see your point, but I'd think that omitting the target is just as confusing. Other arguments that are passed to the method call in the syntax examples are written using identifiers (e.g. readAsArrayBuffer(blob)) or literal expressions (e.g. .addEventListener("load", (event) => {})) as well, does this cause people to assume that blob is a global variable or that the event handler must be an arrow function?
I think that by omitting the target, the chances increase the people mistake the method for a global function. Which might not even throw an error if there's a method of the same name on window.
And yes, I think this syntax is particularly confusing for setter properties like onload.

If you don't want to use an identifier, how about including at least the dot

.addEventListener("load", (event) => {});

.onload = (event) => {};

or even an ellipsis?

….addEventListener("load", (event) => {});

….onload = (event) => {};

from content.

The current format of the "Syntax" box was decided on in #2202, as part of openwebdocs/project#26. If we wanted to revisit it, it would be better to open a discussion than an issue: that said I don't know if there's much appetite for reanimating this conversation now.

from content.

@wbamberg thanks for the link! From what I read in #2202 that discussion was about converting bnf syntax for optional parameters to multiline syntax examples, not about dropping the target object.
Anyhow, @Josh-Cena already did open https://github.com/orgs/mdn/discussions/148 so I'll chime in there

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